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The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Friday said it has set aside P30 billion for financial assistance to Filipinos affected by rising fuel prices, including tricycle and jeepney drivers.
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said the fund will be sourced from the agency’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program and will provide P5,000 in cash aid per beneficiary.
“Ang entrada sa loob ng libro ng general appropriations, P60 billion ‘to. At ang instruction sa amin ng ating Pangulo is P30 billion ilaan mo kaagad kasi hindi natin alam kung kailan ‘to matatapos,” he told GMA Network’s Unang Hirit in an interview.
(The entry in the general appropriations book is P60 billion, and the instruction to us by our President is to allocate P30 billion because we don’t know when the crisis will end.)
“So naka-standby yan, kung humaba to, handa ang gobyerno. Yung P5,000, kumbaga pauna yun eh, para masigurado lang natin na umaandar ‘to. Para mabilisan maramdaman kaagad ng mga tao na ang gobyerno nandito para sa kanila,” he added.
(So it’s on standby, if this goes on, the government is ready. The initial P5,000 is just to make sure that it is moving forward. So that the people can immediately feel that the government is here for them.)
Initially, the cash assistance will roll out in Metro Manila, where about 139,000 tricycle drivers have been identified as potential beneficiaries.
The distribution is set to start on Tuesday, March 17.
According to Gatchalian, the program will expand nationwide after the initial rollout, covering other areas with more tricycle drivers.
The DSWD chief clarified that the financial assistance is separate from the fuel subsidy being distributed by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
Beneficiaries only need to bring a valid driver’s license and a photocopy during the payout, Gatchalian said. The names on the license should match the names in the list of beneficiaries.
Gatchalian said the DSWD has safeguards in place to prevent irregularities, including verifying the identities of beneficiaries through their driver’s licenses and having its personnel handle the actual payout. —Joviland Rita/ VAL, GMA Integrated News
